5 Different Types of Groomsmen You Might See at Your Wedding

Friendship and loyalty, tradition, family relationships, fun—every groomsman has his own motivations and ways for helping out with your wedding. Here are a few tried-and-true category samples for the typical groomsman and how to deal with them on and off the dance floor.

1. The Comedian

This guy is going to be in more of your wedding photos than you are. He’s the center of attention, no matter what. The comedian is your wittiest friend and great for keeping guests entertained, yet known for pushing a few jokes too far in front of your elderly family. His main avenue for getting a laugh during the wedding is going to be ragging on you, and the jokes will get bolder and bolder as the day goes on.

2. The Big Drinker

This guy was—is—a key component to many parties you’ve attended throughout the years. He’s the go-to guy for a good time. Everyone dreads a wedding reception that’s a major dud, and while the Big Drinker may be kind of annoying—not to mention a potential embarrassment once all those tequila shots start catching up to him—he keeps the party alive and well. He encourages folks to let loose, and gets everyone on the dance floor. Our advice for dealing with this guy is for the groom to designate one specific watchman for him to make sure he makes it back to his bed okay.

3. The Know-it-All Newlywed

This guy just got married last summer, and he’s going to tell you all about it. He’s a little awkward, an old friend, and seems to be glad he gets to bond with you, finally, over this kind of event. Your other groomsmen tend to talk to each other over him, tiring quickly of going over each boring detail of his big day, which was a year ago now. He’s been offering to share the number for his DJ, his caterer, and his wife so that she can answer any questions you have about planning a wedding. This is an aggravating specimen, but just keep in mind that he’s trying to share your big day with you the best way he knows how.

4. The Professional Groomsman

This dude has been to 5 weddings so far this summer, and it’s not even July yet. He’s a serial groomsman. You know the kind—he just has so many close friends that he ends up being invited to every wedding in a five-hundred mile radius. Sure, his speeches are a little canned, and he brings the same repertoire of jokes each time, but this guy has the wedding thing down. He’ll arrive on time, help tie ties, and generally be the most helpful person in your crew of groomsmen. He’s not the most fun guy at the wedding, but gets points for consistency.

5. The Lothario Who Secretly Wants to be in Love

This is the confident, yet actually very insecure, hits-on-everyone groomsman. He’s witnessed the groom fall in love over the past few months, and it seems to have awoken something in him. All his friends know that he has a gaping hole in his heart that’s just waiting to be filled with a girl who likes him for who he is. This guy can be fun to observe during your big day as he scopes out potential targets, falls in love twice before the reception even starts, and ends up slow-dancing with your second cousin for multiple songs in a row.